


Day 7: Isolation

by Aelaer



Series: Whumptober 2019 [7]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Isolation, Nightmares, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-17 08:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21051443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aelaer/pseuds/Aelaer
Summary: Now, before you blame me, this actually isn't my doing. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to claim I've caused this bit of inconvenience. But I give credit where it's due, and while I've been watching, I haven't actually done anything. It'd be almost too easy at this point, and while getting rid of Strangewouldbe convenient, challenging him when he's still so obviously green just seems unsporting.





	Day 7: Isolation

**Author's Note:**

> An indirect sequel to [Day 2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959778) \- as in, the narrator is back. Yeah, that jerk. No warnings though.

Now, before you blame me, this actually isn't my doing. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to claim I've caused this bit of inconvenience. But I give credit where it's due, and while I've been watching, I haven't actually done anything. It'd be almost too easy at this point, and while getting rid of Strange  _ would _ be convenient, challenging him when he's still so obviously green just seems unsporting. And when you get to my age, you prefer to have humans with enough experience to think they've outsmarted you, then have a good laugh when they realize just how wrong they are.

That bit with Dormammu was clever, I admit. I didn't see it coming. But if I'm going to enjoy destroying the doctor, it needs to be more of a challenge for me.

But clearly not everyone thinks like me. The tactic's not completely unoriginal, I'll give the originator that; making Strange so afraid of his own dreams by planting constant seeds within them is an interesting idea. He's completely isolated himself from everyone he knows in fear of hurting them. I can see the lurking terror all the way here.

But whoever's behind this maybe got their idea from another reality, one where there's no one who'll stand up to Strange and leave him alone until he destroys himself. But in our reality here, the so-called Masters of the Mystic Arts have a whole support system built up and organized over hundreds of years. They're used to magic interfering with rational thought from time to time. They've known about Nightmare's existence for ages (melodramatic ass that he is).

More importantly, they know how to detect such things, at least when it's as inelegantly executed as it was with Strange. Having him withdraw from everyone within the course of a week? Even humanity can see what's wrong with that. Now if I had done it, it would have been a slow change, taking several months, maybe years as humanity counts time, with a slow descent into madness— but I digress again.

It was fun to watch his panic and fear over the madness enveloping his mind this last week. But now he'll know how to defend against such things and it'll make it more difficult in the long run to do anything meaningful.

Well, like I said, I do enjoy myself a good challenge.


End file.
